Access 1513 Internet Prepaid Card Launched

Monday, November 7, 2005

In an effort to help Ghana ’leap-frog’ into the information society proper, Global Access Services Limited in collaboration with Netafrique Dot Com, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) have introduced an Internet prepaid card into the Ghanaian market. Called Access 1513 Internet prepaid card, the card can be used by anyone who has access to a computer with a dial up modem and a Ghana Telecom (GT) telephone line.

The card comes with a username, a password and a GT digital telephone number 1513 for Accra and 021213301 for those outside Accra.

Compared to subscribing to an ISP where a monthly subscription is charged, whether it is used optimally or not, the Access 1513 can be used at any time for up to 10 hours for only ?50,000 (about US $5.50, or US $0.50 per hour.)

According to Mr. Christopher Quartey, Senior Operations Manager of Global Access and the marketing manager for the card, the card would allow many Ghanaians the affordability to browse the internet at such minimal cost as it is the lowest internet prepaid card available.

He said customers of the product stand to benefit a lot, including the non payment of monthly fixed rate subscription fee, control expenses, non expiry date, no payment for internet account and one can browse at the comfort of his or her home.

He said there would be “free 2 hours for the first 1,000 customers to use the card.” Mr. Quartey noted that their marketing strategy was such that workers, students, the family business and tourists are the targeted markets.

On the distribution of the product, he said it could be obtained from all Global Access offices, selected post offices, Foncard Express, Kumasi and Takoradi.

Mr. David Maldima, the Chief Executive Officer of Netafrique explained that the speed of the service is up to 56 kbps and disclosed that the service had started about two weeks ago on a pilot basis.

He revealed that a wireless card would be introduced next year, where one could connect to the internet from all over the country, without modem or telephone lines.

In a related development, the Fruit of the Spirit Company Limited (FSCL), a few months ago, also signed a pact with Ghana Post to distribute its prepaid Internet Cards, Web4Africa.

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